The following description is provided to assist the understanding of the reader. None of the information provided or references cited is admitted to be prior art.
Monitoring and treatment of air pollutants are important industries and such methods and devices have innumerable applications. Many countries, municipalities, and governments mandate specific monitoring and air quality reporting to increase awareness and safety for the public. In industrial settings, monitoring and treatment of air pollution may be required for the safety of workers involved in activities that produce hazardous materials or that involve such hazardous materials. Monitoring of air pollutants also has substantial application for the public at large; for example, in individual homes for the detection of carbon monoxide and by individuals in the event of a chemical or biological terrorist attack.
Air monitoring devices having small sizes and increased efficiencies have advantages over devices having large sizes and inefficiencies. Small device sizes allow for the use of monitoring devices in applications that will not allow for large device sizes. For example, the location of monitoring devices in small areas and the inclusion of monitoring devices on personal safety equipment. Large device sizes have the practical effect of reducing the portability and the applicability of monitoring devices in many instances. Efficient monitoring devices allow for faster analysis of air pollutants and lead to faster notification of pollutant levels. However, small monitoring devices have traditionally been inferior to conventional large monitoring equipment in terms of accuracy and sensitivity.